It’s been confirmed that Lucy Owen – one of the main presenters of the BBC’s nightly television news programme Wales Today – is to compere the ceremonial switching-on of Penarth’s Christmas Lights on Sunday November 18th.

Penarth Town Councillors were informed last night that this time the outdoor stage for the event will be erected “side-on” across Windsor Road – between Barclays Bank and Lloyds Bank – the first time such a layout has been implemented.

The switch on was at 17:00 last year – this year it will be half an hour later than that – and the stage will be across Windsor Road – and not outside the St Fagans pub as in 2017

Nicholas McDonald, Penarth Town Council’s principal officer for communications and events informed councillors that the event – staged with the involvement of the commercial events company Genero – will begin at 15:00 hours and will continue later than in previous years until 19:00 hours. The climax – the actual switching-on of the Christmas Lights – will take place at 17: 30.

Mr McDonald said that the youth organisation Penarth Youth Action would be “more involved” this year and would be assisting with the stewarding of the event.

The three Christmas Trees being installed in 2016 – supplanting the former single Christmas Tree which always seemed to lean to one side. The new replacement clock has an illuminated dial.

Once again three individual Christmas Trees will be installed on the Clock Roundabout around the new Town Clock which – unlike its precedessor – now lights up at night.

A number of “free craft workshops” taking place at West House during weekends following the Christmas Lights switch-on which have been set up with the aid of additional grant funding obtained by the council . These – it is hoped – will “extend the Christmas season” .

It has been confirmed that Father Christmas will be attending the switch on – with Mrs Christmas. The suggestion of a transgendered Christmas personage provoked laughter in the council chamber

Mr McDonald said it had also been confirmed that Father Christmas would be visiting Penarth for the Switch On.

Cllr Mark Wilson (Labour Stanwell)

Cllr Mark Wilson (Labour Stanwell) – with perhaps an eye to equal opportunities legislation – asked whether there would be a “Mother Christmas” as well? It was confirmed that indeed there will be a “Mother Christmas” present.

Cllr Martin Turner (Conservative Plymouth Ward)

Cllr Martin Turner (Conservative Plymouth Ward) provoked laughter when he enquired whether there would be a “transgendered” Christmas personage present.

Referring to the booking of Lucy Owen as the host of the occasion, Cllr Turner said it was good to hear that the council had obtained a “good namethere switching the lights on”.

[There has been controversy in previous years over the costs of engaging high-profile presenters for the Penarth Christmas Lights Switch-On – specifically a large fee paid to BBC Wales Today weatherman Derek Brockway in 2013 . Other comperes have included BBC Sports presenter Frances Donovan and the broadcaster/comedian Owen Money – who performed the task voluntarily.]

Cllr Mike Cuddy as mayor hosted the Christmas Lights switch on in 2016

Cllr Mike Cuddy (Labour St Auguistines) said there had been concerns last year of “crowding near the stage” and asked whether the new location of the stage at this year’s event would “mitigate” this problem. Officer McDonald said there was no ideal location for the stage in the town centre but said the proposed new site between Lloyds Bank and Barclays Bank appeared to be the best one.

Mr McDonald said “The areas were certainly there last year but perhaps awareness of that was not really got out there” and said that the revised stage positioning would help.

No estimate was given in the meeting of the number of people expected to attend the event. There was no mention either of what happens in the weeks after the formal switch on. In the past the lights have not been turned on until 16:00 – whereas some traders have pressed for the lights to be on all afternoon to brighten-up the look of the town on gloomy December days.

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Penarth Daily News is an independent free on-line fair and balanced news service published by NewsNet Ltd covering the town of Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK.
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Mother Christmas………chortle. And we have to pay these attention seeking PC panderers like Wilson. As for transgender- might raise a laugh now but when it becomes mandatory!! Mummy Daddy- what’s a transgender FathMam Christmas. It would be great if Richmal Crompton could write this lot up. William the Bonkerer Conqueror 🙂

Traders I know are less concerned about how long the lights will be on than what on earth the Council is doing (beyond amusing themselves at our expense). So there is a switch in on 18 November is there? No one’s been told, there are no posters,and what if the council’s support for the usual late night shop (withdrawn at the last minute last year, while as I recall on the night that Traders put together at short notice, the council clowns were amusing themselves with pointless P.O. tutu stink about planning applications… oh dear, don’t mention planning applications!)